Self-objectification, cultural identity, body dissatisfaction, and health-related behaviours among female among female African University Students

Abstract

Sociocultural pressures, including the thin-ideal internalization, and other aspects of self-objectification, are associated with body dissatisfaction. However, there is limited research regarding the association between self-objectification and engagement in health related behaviours among African females. A quantitative study was conducted with a sample of 411 female African university students from the University of Limpopo, South Africa to investigate the relationship between internalisation of sociocultural beauty standards and body dissatisfaction and engagement in health related behaviours. The study further explored whether cultural identity would moderate the relationship between internalisation of socio-cultural beauty standards and both body dissatisfaction and engagement in health related behaviours. Structural equation modelling (SEM) suggested that internalization of socio-cultural beauty standards significantly predicted students’ body satisfaction. No statistically significant relationship was found between internalization of socio-cultural beauty standards and engagement in health related behaviours. Also, cultural identity did not moderate the relationship between self-objectification and both body dissatisfaction and engagement in health related behaviours. This being a single study, further research is required to determine the relationship between the variables.